CVE-2026-104396 in Name Directory Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/05/2026
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Jeroen Peters Name Directory name-directory allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Name Directory: from n/a through 1.34.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/05/2026
The identified security flaw represents a classic instance of Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, commonly known as Cross-site Scripting or XSS. Specifically, this vulnerability manifests as Stored XSS within the Jeroen Peters Name Directory application, affecting versions ranging from n/a through 1.34.2. Unlike reflected XSS attacks where malicious scripts are executed via a user-supplied URL parameter that is immediately processed by the server and returned to the browser without being stored on disk, this vulnerability allows an attacker to inject client-side script into web pages viewed by other users. The term Stored XSS indicates that the injected payload is permanently saved within the application's data store, such as a database or file system, rather than being transiently passed through in a request. Consequently, every time a victim accesses the affected page where the malicious content has been stored, the script executes automatically in their browser context without any further interaction required from the attacker to trigger it initially.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability arises because the application fails to properly validate, sanitize, or encode user-supplied input before including it in dynamic web pages generated by the server-side code. When users submit data through forms or other input mechanisms within the Name Directory interface, such as name fields or directory entries, the system accepts these inputs without applying sufficient security controls. The lack of output encoding means that special characters with semantic meaning to HTML and JavaScript parsers are interpreted literally rather than being escaped into their safe character entities. This allows an attacker to craft a payload containing malicious JavaScript code which is then persisted in the application's backend storage. When another user views this data, the browser interprets the script as part of the page content, leading to execution within the security context of the web application domain.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its persistent nature and potential for widespread exploitation. Because the malicious code is stored on the server, it can affect a large number of users who visit the compromised pages over an extended period. Attackers can leverage Stored XSS to steal session cookies or authentication tokens, thereby hijacking user sessions and gaining unauthorized access to accounts with elevated privileges. Furthermore, this vulnerability enables attackers to perform actions on behalf of victims, such as modifying directory entries, deleting data, or changing account settings without the victim's knowledge. In more sophisticated attack scenarios, the attacker might use the compromised browser context to conduct phishing attacks against other users by displaying fake login forms that mimic legitimate application interfaces, thereby harvesting credentials directly from unsuspecting individuals who trust the domain of the Name Directory application.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-79, which covers Improper Neutralization of Script-Related HTML Tags in a Web Page, and is categorized under OWASP Top 10 as A3:2021-Injection when considering the broader category of injection flaws that allow unintended code execution. In terms of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability facilitates techniques such as Collection via Browser Redirect or Credential Access through Stealing Browser Data, allowing adversaries to move laterally within a network if session tokens are compromised and reused in other systems with shared authentication mechanisms. The persistence of the attack vector makes it particularly dangerous for applications handling sensitive personal information like name directories, where trust between users is paramount.
Mitigation strategies must focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding practices at both the application code level and infrastructure level. Developers should ensure that all user-supplied data is strictly validated against a whitelist of expected characters before being processed or stored in the database. More critically, when rendering this data back to the browser, it must be encoded using context-aware techniques appropriate for HTML body content, attribute values, JavaScript contexts, or CSS properties depending on where the data appears. Utilizing modern web frameworks that automatically handle output encoding can significantly reduce the risk of such vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing a Content Security Policy header with strict directives regarding script sources can mitigate the impact by preventing the execution of unauthorized scripts even if an injection attempt succeeds. Regular security testing including dynamic application security scanning and manual code reviews focused on data flow analysis is essential to identify and remediate these flaws before deployment in production environments.